Rivermen Headlines

Rivermen Placed in Newly Formed Midwest Division

Published:July 5th 2011 @ 12:00 AM

Jul

05

2011

American
Hockey League President and CEO David Andrews announced that the
league’s Board of Governors, convening this week for its Annual Meeting in
Hilton Head Island, S.C., has approved the following division alignment for the
2011-12 AHL season (NHL affiliates in parentheses):

Western Conference

North Division

Grand Rapids Griffins (DET)

Hamilton Bulldogs (MTL)

Lake Erie Monsters (COL)

Rochester Americans (BUF)

Toronto Marlies (TOR)

Midwest Division

Charlotte Checkers (CAR)

Chicago Wolves (VAN)

Milwaukee Admirals (NSH)

Peoria Rivermen (STL)

Rockford IceHogs (CHI)

West Division

Abbotsford Heat (CGY)

Houston Aeros (MIN)

Oklahoma City Barons (EDM)

San Antonio Rampage (FLA)

Texas Stars (DAL)

Eastern Conference

Atlantic Division

Manchester Monarchs (LA)

Portland Pirates (PHX)

Providence Bruins (BOS)

St. John’s (WPG)

Worcester Sharks (SJ)

Northeast Division

Adirondack Phantoms (PHI)

Albany Devils (NJ)

Bridgeport Sound Tigers (NYI)

Connecticut Whale (NYR)

Springfield Falcons (CBJ)

East Division

Binghamton Senators (OTT)

Hershey Bears (WSH)

Norfolk Admirals (TB)

Syracuse Crunch (ANA)

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (PIT)

The format for the 2012 Calder Cup Playoffs was also approved by the
Board of Governors. Eight teams in each conference will qualify for the
postseason, with the three division winners earning the top three seeds and the
next five best teams in order of regular-season points seeded fourth through
eighth. The conference quarterfinals will be best-of-five series; the
conference semifinals, conference finals and Calder Cup Finals will be
best-of-seven series. Teams will be re-ordered after the first round so that
the highest-remaining seed plays the lowest-remaining seed.

The regular-season schedule format is still to be determined, and the
complete playing schedule for the 2011-12 regular season, which begins Oct. 7,
will be announced later this summer.

In operation since 1936, the AHL continues to serve as the top
development league for all 30 National Hockey League teams. More than 87
percent of today’s NHL players are American Hockey League graduates, and for
the 10th year in a row, more than 6 million fans attended AHL games
across North America in 2010-11.